Sharks Trade Janney, Tie Bruins

Staff and Wire Reports

Published 4:00 am, Tuesday, March 19, 1996

The Sharks yesterday took another step toward dismantling their team and starting over by trading center Craig Janney to the Winnipeg Jets for Darren Turcotte, another center, and a second-round pick in the 1996 entry draft.

When Janney was acquired from the St. Louis Blues for Jeff Norton in March 1995, he was hailed as player who could make the Sharks a potent offensive club. But he never really became a huge factor, didn't provide leadership as expected and was considered a malcontent in the clubhouse by management.

He had 13 goals and a team- leading 49 assists for the Sharks this season, but his plus/minus of -35 was the worst in the NHL.

Turcotte a 6-foot, 178-pound, 28- year-old native of Boston, had 16 goals and 16 assists in 50 games with Winnipeg. He has also played for the New York Rangers and Hartford, making the all-star team five years ago. Turcotte, originally a sixth-round pick of the Rangers in 1986, had his best NHL season in 1989-90, when he had 32 goals and 34 assists.

Turcotte is best known as a swift skater, a commodity much needed by the Sharks.

"We're getting a different (type of) player," said Lombardi. "Janney has some high-end assets, he can make plays. But he has some liabilities, and we can't disguise them. Turcotte has a good shot and likes to use it. He might be a better fit for our club."

The Sharks on Saturday traded another veteran, right wing Ray Sheppard, to the Florida Panthers for draft picks. In trading Janney and Sheppard, the Sharks have lopped off about $3.6 million from their payroll, which will be used to finance a top-grade defenseman.

The league trading deadline is tomorrow, and San Jose may not be done dealing. Lombardi said he wouldn't make a trade "just for the sake of making a trade," but wouldn't say if other deals were on the table,

In Boston, meanwhile, the Sharks scored three goals -- by Viktor Kozlov, Jan Caloun and Jeff Odgers -- during an 11-minute span of the third period to forge a 3-3 tie with the Bruins.

The tie ended Boston's five- game winning streak, its longest of the season, but kept intact its domination over San Jose (Boston has never lost to the Sharks, accumulating a 5-0-3 record).